M-14 with lead bullet and gas checks

[pakmc]

Im trying to find a load for an m-14 with my 163gr Lee gas check bullet. I'm now powder coating them and some of them where doing great(accuracy wise) but they where not getting kicked out of the rifle. I'm using Acc 2400 powder.(I'm also resizing them back to .308. I started with 16gr's of 2400 and went up the scale 1/2 gr. at a time to 22gr's. at 21-22 gr's the accuracy really sucked. about 17 gr's there was good accuracy. but I was shooting a bolt action semi-automatic rifle. any one have any throughts on this. and again I might have run into the same problem with an AR-in 223. 1680 powder doesn't work in an AR-15 in .223. I had a compressed load(the primers where very flat) and the rifle wouldn't kick the brass out. I thinks that's what happening with the M-14 and 2400 powder. and yes, I had and still have a bunch of 1680 powder.

[Char-Gar]

Do a search or check out the stickies. BruceB did very excellent work with cast bullets in the M1A1 and that should put you on track.

[jsn]

Try this link, s/b page 20, post #383 someone was kind enough to summarize everything into a spreadsheet. It prints out in two pages.

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?3558-7-62x51-NATO-(-308-WCF)-in-the-Springfield-M1A/page20

[Larry Gibson]

pakmc

The problem is the 2400 is not generating enough of a psi impulse at the gas port with that light of a bullet to function the action. Odds are 1680 won't either. The fact you have lots of it won't make it work either. Increasing the powder charge of either powder increases the psi but also increases the sharpness of the time/pressure curve which is not good for the cast bullet. That also increases the velocity probably putting the bullet over the RPM threshold which is also detrimental to accuracy.

The solution is to get a heavier bullet (180 - 200 gr) or to use a slower burning powder. I suggest trying a slower burning powder first. Try H4895 and also use a Dacron filler. Start at 23 gr H4895 and work up in 1 gr increments. Work up to 100% functioning with at least a 10 shot string and the bolt locking back after the last shot is fired. If accuracy is bad with that load then the bullet is too light and the velocity is too fast. If that happens then a heavier bullet is in order.

I also suggest a thorough reading of BruceB's sticky on loading for the M1A.


Larry Gibson

[pakmc]

thank you, i'll be looking up what ya'll suggested.